Angel Encounters

What do most people think of when they imagine angels? Probably celestial beings in white robes with halos and feathery wings. The angels of our imaginations may be standing on clouds, play harps and have shining faces and blonde curls.

For most Bible-believing Christians there is no doubt that such celestial creatures do exist. But a deeper understanding of the word angel is gained when one looks at the original languages.

Messengers

According to Strong's Concordance, the word angel in both the original Hebrew and Greek could easily be translated as messenger.

This definition opens up the possibility that, in addition to actual heavenly beings, angels could be anyone who delivers a message from God.

When we consider Hebrews 13:2, where we read: Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, the idea of human beings temporarily taking on the job of angel or messenger doesn't seem so far fetched.

Does this mean I think that there are people who are cherubic beings with special powers? No. The Bible makes it clear that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. But God is God, and I believe He can (as He has in the past) use imperfect men to accomplish His perfect will.

Angels Without Wings

I believe I have encountered angels. At the time of these encounters, I sensed I was getting a message from God but didn't stop to think of the role of the person through whom God sent the message. Now that I know that angel can mean messenger, I realize that these may have been angel visitations.

My angels didn't have wings or halos. In fact, at least one of them was what some might call defective...certainly not beautiful to look upon as we imagine angels to be.

Some people, unnerved by her less than perfect appearance, may question why her parents had even allowed her to be born.

Unlikely Angel

The little girl in the pediatric surgeon's waiting room had just a bulb of flesh for a nose and scars from previous operations around her mouth. She couldn't have been much older than 2. Instead of a white robe, she wore what could aptly be called a toddler uniform: a turtleneck and elasticized pants and tennis shoes.

Children seem to take to me, so at the time I didn't think much about it when she sat at my feet and tinkered with a toy truck. Her mother sat down across from me and I offered her a distracted smile.

As I waited nervously for my first appointment with the pediatric surgeon who I was hoping could save my unborn baby's life, I watched the little girl play. She made "vroom-vroom" sounds as she pushed the truck along. Tears filled my eyes as I wondered whether my baby, who I could feel moving around inside me, would ever get the chance to play like that. How blessed her mother was to have her, despite her physical imperfections!

My heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. The obstetrician had already said that it was almost impossible that my baby would live very long after birth. Was I just wasting my time meeting with surgeons who would never have the chance to operate on my baby?

The girl must have sensed my distress, for she stood up and held out her chubby little hand with its thin white scars between the misshapen fingers and offered me the truck. When I accepted it, she toddled over to the toybox and returned a moment later with another small toy vehicle for herself. With impatience, she reached up to me and took my hand in hers and pulled me to the floor. When I sat down next to her she resumed her sound effects while pushing the new toy along and looked to be sure I was going to play, too.

The Message

Before that little girl left that office that day, she had delivered God's message. She had reminded me that with God, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).